Member of palace staff in new rape allegation

Another allegation of male rape within the royal household was investigated last year when a junior member of staff at Buckingham Palace complained he had been attacked by a fellow worker, it emerged yesterday.

The matter was investigated by Scotland Yard at the same time as officers were probing allegations of a male rape at St James's Palace. The incidents were "of a similar nature" but were not linked, sources said.

The disclosure is bound to heighten concern over claims that there is a culture of bullying within the royal household. It will also add to the discomfort at St James's Palace over the way it handled the affair.

While Prince Charles's aides conducted an internal inquiry and decided not to refer the allegation to the police, Buckingham Palace rang detectives within 24 hours.

A palace spokesman said: "Within five days the individual concerned had had access to a solicitor paid for by the Queen so he could take all the advice he wanted. The following week he went to the police and had a one-to-one session with a qualified rape counsellor and after the various consultations and all the advice he required, he decided he did not wish to pursue the complaint."

Buckingham Palace said the victim "is still working here in the royal household, as is the alleged perpetrator".

The conduct of the Queen's aides was in stark contrast to those at St James's Palace, who are under mounting pressure over allegations of a cover-up to prevent embarrassment to a man who is working closely with Prince Charles.

St James's Palace confirmed on Thursday that an allegation of rape was investigated by staff in 1996. The matter was not referred to Scotland Yard but became the subject of a police inquiry last year when the allegations surfaced during the investigation into Paul Burrell, Princess Diana's former butler, who has been cleared of theft.

During the inquiry, detectives were told that a tape recorded by Princess Diana of the supposed rape victim describing his ordeal had gone missing.

In a statement to the Guardian, St James's Palace questioned the existence of the tape, and claimed that even if it did exist, "it could add nothing". However, Mr Burrell, who sold his story to the Daily Mirror for £300,000, confirmed he had seen the tape.

"It contains intimate revelations of a very personal nature of an incident between two men in the royal household," he said.

"This account was taped by the princess as proof of evidence. She thought this person had a right to document it so it could never be covered up. The easiest way was to tape it."

The alleged rapist is being represented by the London solicitors Kingsley Napley. A senior partner with the firm has written to the Guardian to insist his client "has always completely denied both the allegations and the events alleged".